Kevin Durant on Friday got into a verbal exchange with a Hall of Fame point guard best known for his trash talk.
Durant and the Phoenix Suns took on the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. Warriors wing Moses Moody went to the line to shoot two free throws.
During the stoppage in play, Durant went over to the sideline and began chirping with NBA legend Gary Payton. The former Seattle SuperSonics point guard is the father of Warriors wing Gary Payton II.
Gary Payton and Kevin Durant heckling each other 😂 pic.twitter.com/4X47g4LRl2
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) February 1, 2025
KD may have gained some added motivation from the exchange because he caught fire to end the third quarter. Durant drained a trio of three-pointers in the final two minutes to put Phoenix up 98-79 before the fourth quarter.
Durant directed some more trash talk toward the elder Payton during the quarter break.
Extended back-and-forth between Kevin Durant and Gary Payton throughout the third quarter. Durant hit a bunch of jumpers late in quarter. Suns up 98-79. He had some final words for Payton after quarter closed. pic.twitter.com/Aro2VvRHAY
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 1, 2025
Payton was notorious for being a huge trash talker during his playing days. While Durant is much more mild-mannered than “the Glove,” that doesn’t mean he backs down from a verbal spat.
Durant finished the contest with 19 points on 6/13 shooting. Payton II had just 3 points on 1/6 shooting over 13 minutes of play.
Tempers seemed to be flaring across the league on Friday as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chris Paul also got into a heated exchange hours prior.
